Hotels in Piran

For the sake of convenience, historic Piran is where you should base yourself, but there are no luxurious options here. If you need your pampering there are numerous upmarket modern resorts with spa facilities that line the waterfront at nearby Portoroz; of these, I'm expecting the brand-new Kempinski Palace Portoroz (www.kempinski.com) to be the finest option on the block. It's a restored historic hotel dating back to 1910 grafted onto a modern construction, sporting multifarious architectural influences. The alternative is the Grand Hotel Portoroz (www.hoteli-palace.si), which not only puts on a range of luxuries (including private beach access and some of the finest spa treatments in central Europe), but also frequently announces good-value deals, making its smart, bland rooms more affordable that you might expect. Back in Piran, serious budget hunters may be interested to hear of good-value Val Hostel, Gregorciceva 38a (tel. 05/673-2555; www.hostel-val.com), offering accommodations in two-, three-, and four-bed rooms for 22€ to 25€ ($28-$32) per person, breakfast included; facilities are shared, but clean.